There'll be Peace when You are Done
by Raistlin99
Summary: The world ended in Darkness, and Dean never stopped fighting. Finally, his fighting comes to an end, but not before one last gift. The Wayward Son, The Righteous Man has finally come to the end of his journey. And it's time for his reward.


It's been quite a while since I've been able to just sit and write. It also helps to have decent ideas to put onto the page. Well I finally have one I like enough to actually try writing. So here is Raistlin99's triumphant return. Hopefully I stick around for a while this time.

There was a box. A simple box that didn't seem to have an distinguishing features. It was small though, enough to fit in a pocket. That was the one thing everyone agreed on.

The box wasn't something that was given though. That's the part that set everyone who had it on edge. It found you. The box was a warning. If you found it, you died in twenty four hours. No exceptions. Only the people who've opened the box knew what was in it. And dead men tell no tales.

Dean Winchester was a broken man. The world had ended. Nothing was the same. And everyone he loved had died.

When Amara had infected the world, Dean screamed and yelled and begged for God to step in, to save them. His prayers went unanswered and the world died. There were a few survivors though: others immune to the darkness either through unshakable faith or they simply hadn't been exposed to the mist. It was these few that Dean protected from the monsters still out there. He did his job: Saving people, hunting things, the family business.

Without Sam, Dean was lost. Without Cas, he was hurt. Even Crowley and Rowena would have been a welcome sight at this point, if nothing more than for some familiarity. But his summoning rituals and prayers went unanswered. So he fought and killed and bled, doing the only thing he knew how. Until he reached into his pocket for a knife and found the box.

It was an old hunters tale, the box that appeared when your were soon to die. Dean didn't believe in it. Even with the evidence in his pocket, he was skeptical. But as he went about his day, making sure everyone in his group had enough food and water to survive the next few nights, the box weighed on him heavily. He tried to ignore it, but the sense of a curtain being lowered filled his mind.

It wasn't until his scout came back, saying that a pack of monster had banded together and were headed their way that Dean knew what he had to do, and why today the box had come to him.

He plotted a course for the remaining survivors. He said his goodbyes. He even gave the keys to the Impala to one of the younger kids, telling him if he found Baby, she was his now. He bunkered down, and let the survivors leave.

As he checked his guns and sharpened his blades, Dean knew that the time was coming close. He finally reached into his pocket and pulled the box from his pocket. It was a simple velvet jewelry box, vermillion in color. Inscribed at the top: I open at the Close.

Dean closed his eyes, took a deep breath and whispered, "I'm ready to die."

The box opened and inside was a small black stone, smooth and glossy. A triangle with a line and a circle inside it could be seen under the shine. As Dean closed his hand around the stone, they appeared before him.

John, Mary, Bobby, Charlie, Kevin, Jo, Ellen, Ash, Rufus, Emma, Bella, Benny, Gabriel and even Death. They all appeared before him, smiling, and Dean couldn't hold onto his facade any longer.

Gasping and sobbing, as the ghosts of everyone he had cared for, everyone he had let down, came to him in his final hour, Dean began apologizing to them all.

Looking at John first he began, "I'm sorry Dad. I couldn't save Sam. Hell I couldn't save the world. Despite everything you taught me I just wasn't the hunter you were. I wasn't the man you were."

"Dean. My son. My boy. You've done the best you could. That's all you've ever done. You fought and killed and saved as many as you could. You're not perfect. You've made mistakes. But so did I. I only ever did the best I could, and you learned that from me. I'm proud of you Dean. I've always been proud of you."

Then Dean turned to Mary and started "Mom I-"

"Don't," she interrupted. "Don't blame yourself for my death. You went back in time. You saw the deal I made. I died trying to save Sam. That's a mother's job. I would have done the same for you, a million times over. I'm sorry I wasn't there to watch you grow up Dean, but I love you all the same."

Dean turned to Bobby and said "You can't say your death wasn't my fault."

"The Hell it was Boy. I got shot. Of all the ways to go that was on the bottom of the list. And here you are blaming yourself for the world going to Hell. I would throttle some sense into ya if I could. But you've got enough on your plate as is, So I'll say this: I love you boy, like my own. And if I had ever had a son, I'd be damn proud if he grew up to be like you."

Then it was Charlie's turn. "I know you blame yourself for my death but don't Dean."

"But it was."

"No. I died to save you. I wanted you to live without the burden of the Mark. I saved you Dean. I died a hunter. My life and death meant something. I made peace with that. And you should too. I love you Dean. You're the brother I never had and always wanted. I couldn't sit by and watch as you suffered when I could do something about it. I know you know how that feels."

The Kevin spoke up, "I trusted you Dean, and in the end you didn't let me down. I died because an angel decided I was a threat. It hurt. The worst pain I've ever felt. But then it was over, and all the nightmares and all the fear were gone. I was at peace. I'm sorry i couldn't help you more. But I made a difference. I was a prophet of God. Not bad for an asian kid not even going to college."

Jo and Ellen looked at each other and Ellen spoke, "Dean you're a hero. You've saved so many lives and sacrificed so much for the world."

"It didn't matter in the end. The world is gone. everything I've done is for nothing."

Jo answered, "Not nothing. As long as there's breath in the bodies of the survivors, there's hope. And mom was with me when I died. I had no regrets. I helped you stop the devil himself. I'm proud of that. I'm proud of us."

Dean turned to Ash and said, "I'm sorry I couldn't save you in time."

"Hey don't worry about it compadre. It turned out my name was a cosmic joke. But then I turned around and hacked the greatest supercomputer in the universe. Heaven itself at my fingertips. That's my accomplishment. And it wouldn't have happened if I hadn't died. My destiny was in death Dean. Don't blame yourself for my destiny."

Dean turned to Rufus and said, "Looks like you were right all along. I'm not going to survive after all."

"Hell boy I'm always right. That's why Bobby was pissed all the time. But you came back, and fought the devil and the mother of all monsters and won. You came out on top. That's more than I expected out of you. I was wrong about you Dean Winchester and you're the only person I'll freely admit that about."

Dean looked around and couldn't find the next soul he wanted to talk to, until he saw her arms wrap around him. He couldn't feel Emma, but the thought was there. "I'm sorry Sam killed you. I wish you had backed down when I asked."

"That wasn't your fault. I'm glad Sam killed me. I didn't want to hurt you. You're my dad. But I was raised a certain way, and you understand how hard turning from that is. I'm just sorry I never got to hug you, the way a daughter should have. Thank you for being my dad."

As she walked away, he heard a faint British voice call out to him, "Oh Dean, you met some of the most interesting people while I was gone."

Dean turned to see Bella smiling at him. It was a far cry from the last time he saw her screaming in Hell. "I'm sorry I tortured you in Hell. I couldn't be in that rack anymore. I just couldn't," he said, remembering his time as Alistar's apprentice.

"I don't blame you. They never offered me that deal. If they had I would have taken it. I've only ever been out for myself and Hell didn't change that. You did what you had to. I understand and forgive you Dean. Now and forever."

"Hey there Dean," Said a Louisiana accent to his left. "Long time no see."

Dean shifted and his stomach turned at the sight of his dead friend, the one he killed himself to save Sam. "Benny," he said, trying to keep from throwing up, "It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you too Chief. Been too long. But that was by design. You see I missed Purgatory. Just bein able to run around and be myself. All the killin I could want. But I worried about you Dean. Monsters told tales of the Winchester who couldn't die. Then Purgatory got dark see. And monsters told different tales. But you survived this long Dean, without my help. I'm just glad I get to see you one last time."

Then Gabriel pushed Benny out of the way, "Yeah yeah touchy feely whatever. That's not my cup of tea. Look Dean, it's like this. Dad didn't show up. Story of my life. But you're doing what needs to be done. That's all that matters. And hey Death isn't so bad, just ask him."

At that, Death hobbled forward from his place in the line. "He's quite right my boy. But you knew that. We always did have such interesting talks. It's a shame you turned the Scythe to me, but Death truly comes to us all. It's just your time Dean Winchester, but not yet. There are two souls yet who would like to say their goodbyes."

And then the entire line parted, as Castiel the Angel with a soul, walked among them. He was power, and grace. And he had the look of a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders, but he smiled breifly, and got into Dean's personal space before beginning to speak.

"Dean, it's good to see you."

Dean thought that Benny would get the worst reaction out of him, but seeing Cas again was so much worse. He barely got out the words, "Hey Cas."

"I'm sorry I couldn't truly be with you Dean, sharing the battlefield one last time. But you truly are the embodiment of humanity. The life you've led and the evil you've defeated show that my Father was right about humanity all along. You truly are a noble soul Dean, and I'm glad to have been called your family. However, there's one more who is your family more than any other, and now it's his turn."

And as Castiel moved away, Dean saw what he feared most. Sam. His brother. But lacking the black lines of Amara's poison and smiling at him.

At this Dean broke down all over again. He couldn't hold it in any longer and vomited, his guilt weighing heavily as he saw the soul of his brother at peace.

He finally looked up, only to see his brother looking at him with compassion and forgivness. And Dean never felt less worthy of those things in his life.

"It's ok Dean," Sam said, as if reading his mind. "It's ok. You couldn't stop my death. And I'm with Jess now. The hole I've felt for the last decade is gone. And so is all the pain and the hurt. I'm proud of you Dean. You carried on. You saved every life you could. You proved what I've known all along. And I'm happy that I came with you on the road. We fought and bled and died and it wasn't for nothing. We made a difference. You once said you were proud of us, but now I'm proud of us. I'll see you soon Dean."

And suddenly Dean heard them, the growls and the snarls of the monsters coming his way. They weren't far now, and it's not like he hadn't died before. But surrounded by his family he had one more question to ask.

"Will you stay with me?"

And Sam replied, "Until the end."

And Dean picked up his blade, ready for the final fight. As the monsters came into view, he remembered it all, every fight, every hug, every beer and every loss. And he finally felt at peace.

He then heard Mary start to sing Hey Jude, and as the monsters closed the distance, Dean ran at them with one final battle cry.


End file.
